Other Health Insurance

By law, VA Healthcare facilities cannot bill Medicare. VA does, however, bill private health insurance companies such as Anthem, Aetna, Cigna, ConnectiCare, WellCare, UnitedHealthCare, Oxford, and others.

Whether or not you have insurance does not affect your eligibility for VA health care benefits. However, you are required to provide the VA information about your health insurance coverage – even if you are covered by your spouse or someone else.

The VA is required to bill your private insurance company for care provided for your non service-connected conditions. Reimbursements received from private insurance carriers are retained at the VA health care facility where treatment was received. These funds are used to provide additional health services to all veterans. Veterans with private health insurance or with federally funded coverage through the Department of Defense (TRICARE), Medicare, or Medicaid, may choose to use these sources of coverage as a supplement to their VA benefits.

What’s in it for the Veteran?

• You will NOT be responsible for any unpaid balance that the insurance carrier does not pay except for the VA copay.
  
  
• Payments from your private health insurance carrier may allow us to offset part or all of your copay.
  
  
• Many private health insurance companies will apply VA health care charges toward the satisfaction of your annual deductible.

Risks of giving up your Private Health Insurance

What should you do with your private health insurance if you are accepted into VA health care program? You could save a lot of money if you dropped the private insurance, but there are some things you should consider.

• What about your non veteran family members?
  The VA does not normally provide care for family members of veterans enrolled in VA’s health care program. If you drop your private health insurance, they may have no health care coverage.
  
  
• What would happen if you are disenrolled from the VA’s health care program?
  There is no guarantee that in subsequent years Congress will appropriate sufficient funds for the VA to provide care for all enrollment priority groups. This could happen if you are enrolled in one of the lower priority groups. This would leave you with no health care coverage.
  
  
• What would happen if you drop your Medicare Part B coverage?
  If you cancel your Medicare Part B Coverage, you need to know that you cannot be reinstated until January of the following year, AND you may be penalized for reinstatement.

For these reasons, the VA encourages you to keep your private health insurance.

Plans with no or low monthly premiums for Veterans

Some carriers offer plans that allow Veterans to see private practice doctors, while still receiving their medications from the VA.

• Many companies offers Veterans a Medicare Advantage Plan for with no monthly premium cost required. This plan allows the Veteran to see non-VA care providers as they choose. They can still receive their prescription drugs and other services from the VA. This provides the Vet the option to see private doctors and go to general hospitals for treatments as needed.
  Call us for details Toll-Free at 1-855-752-6678.

Get help finding the right plan and assistance enrolling- always a free service to you